Viewability Guidelines:

To ensure measuring viewability is objective the classifications for viewability are defined by the IAB. The Interactive Advertising bureau (IAB) defines a viewable impression as an ad that meets the following criteria:

For in-stream video ads, 50% of the ad’s pixels must be visible in the browser window for a continuous 2 seconds:

However, there are some factors that affect Viewability:

• The size of the ad
• The placement of the ad
• The type of content that the ad is displayed within
• The user’s browser settings
• The user’s attention span

Why is Viewability Important?

Value For Advertisers:
For Advertisers, viewability is one of the most important metrics to analyze. Viewability is important in video advertising as it helps advertisers to measure the effectiveness of their campaigns. In other words, if an ad is not viewable, then it is unlikely that the user will actually see it, and therefore, it is unlikely to have any impact on their behavior. This would be a wasted campaign.

Value of good Viewability for Publishers:
In the Adtech ecosystem, Advertisers depend on Publishers for them to deliver their ads and use their inventory. In return, Publishers generate revenue. Publishers want high quality brands to advertise using their inventory. For Publishers to consistently have high quality ads utilizing
their inventory, they need to withhold high viewability rates.

High viewability rates also indicates high revenues for Publishers as the ads are in view for a long period of time.

Ways to Improve Viewability:

1. Lazy Load: Delay content loading until it’s needed. For example, videos load only when they enter the viewport or when the user initiates playback.
2. Page Length: Opt for shorter content to enhance viewability, keeping pages within one-fold. Alternatively, use infinite scroll for longer content.
3. Reduce Latency: Faster ad loading improves viewability. Minimize latency to ensure ads appear promptly when users visit or navigate the page, reducing the likelihood of users scrolling past or leaving before ads show.
4. Placement and Positioning: Strategically position videos within the webpage layout to capture users’ attention in prominent areas, aligning content with user focus.

Content & Viewability: 

Content and Viewability are significantly linked, as content can be a reliable way to improve ad viewability. Here is how:

1. Instream Ad Placement: Relevant and engaging content encourages users to stay on the page, engage with content and therefore watch full ads.
2. Content & Ad Matching: Displaying relevant video content alongside relevant ads boosts engagement and viewability.
3. Non-Intrusive Integration: Seamlessly integrating video ads within the viewing experience, often before, during, or after main content, promotes full ad viewing without disruption.